This year marks a big milestone for TWR. We will celebrate 60 years of Arabic broadcasts to the Middle East, where the local department has been continuously sharing the message of hope and redemption to the Arabic people.
TWR has been a key voice in bringing the Good News into closed areas across the Arab world utilizing radio waves that can cross borders and reach people where they are. Recently, Yemen was added to the list of countries that are being reached by our local teams in the Middle East.
Why Yemen?
Yemen is a mountainous, arid desert country with a tumultuous history located on the southeastern edge of the Arabian Peninsula. Some archaeologists even suggest that present-day Yemen is the location of the biblical land of Sheba.
For centuries, it was known to be one of the most prosperous places in the Middle East. However, the fate of the country has since changed and for all of the oil riches that have benefited the region in the 20th century, Yemen was left out.
Today, it is by far the poorest state in the Middle East, suffering from an ongoing civil war pitting various deeply rooted clans from the northern and southern regions against each other, which are in turn backed by regional Sunni and Shiite powers. As if this wasn’t enough, a humanitarian crisis of massive proportions is adding to the turmoil.
However, true hope can still be found.
Rays of light can still pierce the darkness. One of these rays is our programme series called Hope for Yemen that is being produced, broadcast, and distributed by the TWR Arabic Ministry department.
This programme series aims to provide practical, psychological, and spiritual help to the local population. It is a comprehensive media project focusing on Yemeni people speaking to them with their mother tongue dialect.
Various digital outlets such as online radio, mobile phone apps, social media platforms, and SD cards, are being used to reach the audience, be it in their home areas or refugee camps.
As the director for TWR Arabic Ministry shares, “the Hope for Yemen radio programme is born to share with Yemenis, youth and adults, the message of hope that can give them a better future through their reconciliation with a sovereign God who can provide peace amidst storms.”
Content includes devotions with an emphasis on God’s love. It shares spiritual hope and comfort through Scripture and prayer. It also provides practical, helpful information focusing on providing relief to their physical and emotional needs. Each programme is hosted by a warm, friendly voice who is there to demonstrate understanding and compassion combined with uplifting popular Christian songs.
Nevertheless, it is extremely challenging, even life-threatening for seekers to ask questions about Jesus Christ and for believers in Yemen to live out their Christian faith. When seeking to guide people on their journey of faith, a long-term view is needed. It takes time for the seeds of the gospel to grow. But when God stirs hearts, change happens!
Join us as we thank God for the people of Yemen. We pray that they would have the chance to hear and respond to the message of the Hope for Yemen programme.
